Processing basket



Oct. 24, 1961 D. w. KELLER PROCESSING BASKET Filed Nov. 10, 1958 vvI'VVV-IVVV VVVVVVVVVV\IVVV United States Patent 3,005,396 PROCESSINGBASKET Dan W. Keller, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Calumet Manu-.facturmg Company, Chiea'gm llL, a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov.10,1958, Ser. No. 772,919 4 Claims. '(Cl.t9, ,1.00)

This invention relates to an improved processing basket for holdingphotosensitive sheets dur'ing development or processing of said sheets.

In the development of materials having photosensitive layers containedthereon, it has been generally accepted that the photosensitive layerlmust not come in contact with anything other than theprocessiugchemicalsdurmg the entireproce'ss. Variousfdevices and schemes have been used toprotectIthe. photosensitive layer from such contact, but all of suchdevices necessitate the use of clamps or clips to hold. the sheetfinsuspension. The use of clamps or clips is unsatisfactory because theyrequire extra handling and careiinust be used so that the image surfaceis not damaged.

, It has also been found that during processing of sheets havingphotosensitive layers, it' is particularly desirable to agitate thechemicals which are used to develop the layers. One successful method ofperforming this agitation is to introduce ages in bursts into the bottomof a tank containing the chemicals and sheets. The gas which entersthebottoni of the bank in a burst rises through the chemicals to. stirthem. Then, the chemicals are allowed to set for awhile before the nextburst emitted in thebottorn of the bank, so that the chemicals may reactuniformly over the entire photosensitive layer. One of the devices usedto hold the sheets during processing without clips is a, basketcontaming wire screens which divide the basket into compartments for thevarious sheets. It has been found that a basket of this type isunsatisfactory in certain instances because the screening aifects thephotosensitive layer and phantom images or streaks are formed in thephotosensitive layer during the processing.

The present invention provides a'processing basket which allows a freeflow of fluids from the bottom of the basket to the top, orvice versa.-Sheets carried by the basket are separated from each other. There is noneed to use clamps or other such devices to separate the sheets one fromanother becausecompartments are formed in the basket for receiving thesheets.- Thestructure of the dividing walls which defines thecompartments is such that the photosensitive layer may engage the wallwithout damage to the photosensitive layer during the processing. Thus,the basket is easy to load and simple to maintain.

For understanding the means in which the above objects are obtained andfor observation of the advantages of the invention other than thosespecifically discussed above, reference is made to the embodiment shownin the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a processing basket embodying thepresent invention with a perforated cover raised in order to showdividers within the basket and a tank supporting said basket which tankis shown partially and in dotted form;

FIGURE 2 is an end View of the basket shown in FIGURE 1 with a portionbroken away;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the basket shown in FIGURE 1, but with adivider removed to show better the construction thereof;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken on line 44 inFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side view of a portion of one of the walls inthe basket; and

Patented pct. 24, 1 961 2 .FIGURE dis a cross sectiona1 view taken online 66 in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIGURE 1, aprocessing basket, shown in the figure positioned in a tank 8 andindicated by numeral 10, is made of stainless steel though othermaterials may be used. The basket generally includes a frame 12, a pairof end walls 14 fixed to said frame, and a plurality of dividers '16removably mounted on said frame 12. f A perforated cover 18, having ahandle 20, is removably mounted on the frame 12 and cooperates with thewalls 14 to close the top of the basket. As may be seen in FIGURE 3, thebottom of the basket 10 consists of a wire mesh 22 which is welded tothe frame 12 and the bottom of the walls 14.

The frame-12 includes a pair of brackets 24. Each of the brackets 24 hasan outwardly extending portion 26 at its upper end. The portions 26 areadapted to engage a means for supporting the basket in a tank so thatthe remainder of the basket is submerged in fluid contained in a tank.

Each of the walls 14 consists of a sheet of substantial- 1y fiatmaterial 28 folded over, thereby forming two identical sheets connectedbyitself. The material 28 contains a plurality of protrusions 30 such asthose shown in FIGURES S and 6. The protrusions 30 are formed integralwith the flat material 28, as is shown in FIGURE 6. Thus, thefiatmaterial has a continuous surface which is substantially flat with theexception of the protrusions 30. The protrusions are regularly spaced sothat each protrusion is spaced an equal distance of approximatelyone-half an inch from the four adjacent protrusions as is shown inFIGURE 5. The outer surface of each of the protrusions 30 defines aportion of a sphere which has a diameter of approximately one-eighth ofan inch so that the outermost portion of each of the protrusions has acurved surface. The protrusions outwardly extend a distanceiless thanthe radius of the sphere which each protrusion defines. The walls 14 arefixed to the brackets 24 at opposite edges of each of the brackets in amanner such that the 14 are substantially parallel to each other. It maybe seen in FIGURES} a'nd4 thatlthe inner surface of the vvalls containsprotrusions 30, which are disposed i a ma er s h t tt q war l siidwardlhe opposite wall. I Y W Each of the aforementioned dividers 16 isconstructed n. aman s iden al tssseh Qt ether iv d -'5. E divider 16consists of a single sheet ofsubst'antially fiat material 28 foldedover, thereby forming two identical sheets connected by itself as arewalls 14. Each divider has outwardly extending protrusions 30 on eachside, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The dividers are spot welded in theircentral portion, leaving their edges open and free for reasons that willbe hereinafter explained.

Three pairs of rails 32 are spot welded to the frame 12, as is shown inFIGURES 3 and 4, to provide a means for slideably retaining thedividers. Each rail 32 consists of a sheet metal angle which has one arm33 spot welded to the interior surface of a bracket 24 sothat the otherarm 33a extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to thebracket toward the other rail of the pair. The second mentioned arm 33afits between the sheets forming a divider so that the divider may bemoved vertically along the rail 32 but is retained from moving in alateral direction by the rail. Each of the dividers is removably mountedon the frame in the manner described above, thereby rendering thedividers removable for cleaning.

The dividers 16 which are mounted on the frame 12 cooperate with eachother and the walls 14 to form cornpartments 34 within the basket, asmay be seen in the drawing. These compartments 34 are narrow in order toaccommodate sheet material but maintain the material in a substantiallyvertical attitude.

When the processing basket is placed into use, it has a plurality ofsheets having'a photosensitive layer on each sheet placed in thecompartments 34. It may be noted at this point that sheets ofphotographic film are placed singly in the compartments 34, but sheetsof material used for making prints, especially color prints, may ;beplaced in compartments 34, two at a time. The latter: is accomplished bypositioning the sheets so that the image side of each sheet extends awayfrom the other sheet in the compartment.

After the sheets have been loaded in the basket, the cover 18 is placedon the basket and the basket is placed in tank 8', which tank is filledwith suitable chemicals. A burst of gas is introduced into the bottom ofthe bank by a suitable means not shown so that the gas flows upward,entering the basket 10 through the wire mesh 22, and leaving the basketthrough the perforated cover 18. As the gas passes through the basket itagitates the chemicals contained in the basket and forces the chemicalsto flow through the various compartments 34. The photosensitive layer ona sheet may engage the protrusions 30 during the processing of thesheet, but the photosensitive layer is in no way adversely affected byits contact with the protrusions. There are no streaks formed during theprocessing nor are there any scratches made in the surface. As the gasenters the bottom of the basket, it flows between the sheet and anyprotrusions which it may engage, since there is a flow path for the gasbetween the wall and the sheet. Thus, a sheet does not stick to thewalls or the dividers.

The cover 18' prevents the sheets of material from floating upwardduring the chemical processing, especially when the gas is introducedinto the bottom of the bank. The wire mesh provides a means forsupporting the sheets in the basket and still allowing a fluid to flow'into the basket during the processing.

While the instant invention has been described in use with gas agitationof chemicals, it is understood that the description is for purposes ofillustration and in no way the invention. The foregoing description anddrawing is given merely to explain and illustrate the present invention,and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as theappended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who havemy disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A processing basket for holding a plurality of photo sensitive sheetsin vertical position in a tank of processing solution comprising spacedendwalls extending across the ends of the basket and engageable with theends of the sheets to limit endwise movement thereof, spaced side wallsconnecting the end walls, a perforated bottom wall connected to the endand side walls engageable with the lower edges of the sheets to supportthem, a plurality of spaced partitions extending between the end wallsdividing the basket into a plurality of side by side compartments eachextending the full length and height of the basket and adapted to holdthe sheets in parallel ver tical relationship, a perforate cover for thebasket overlying the compartments and preventing removal of the sheetstherefrom, and means on the basket for mounting it in fixed position ina tank, the side walls and the partitions being imperforate and thesurfaces thereof facing the compartments being formed with smoothrounded projections thereon distributed substantially uniformly oversaid surfaces and engageable directly with the photosensitive surfacesof the sheets whereby the treating solution in the basket may beagitated by an agitating fluid entering the basket through its perforatebottom and passing around the sheets in the compartments to effectuniform processing of the photosensitive sheets in the basket.

2. The basket of claim 1 in which the end walls are provided with spacedvertically extending guide means and the partitions are slidable intoand out of the basket on the guide means.

3. The basket of claim 1 in which the end walls are provided with spacedvertically extending flanges and each of the partitions is formed by ametal sheet folded upon itself with its sides parallel and spaced toreceive the flanges slidably between them.

4. The basket of claim 1 in which the mounting means on the basketcomprises outwardly extending brackets at the upper ends of the basketend walls to engage the top of a tank and support the basket therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,753,779 Krause July 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,199 Great Britain 1890276,924 Germany July 22, 1914 217,712 Great Britain June 26, 1924405,552 Germany Nov. 6, 1924 OTHER REFERENCES Siegel, Germanapplication, Serial No. 830092 LX/ 570, printed October 31, 1956.

